Dispenser for napkins and the like



April 2, 1929. SHAFFER 1,707,578

DISPENSER FOR NAPKINS AND THE LIKE Filed June 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l GlenuAJfial/er April 2, 1929.

G. 'A. SHAFFER 1,707,578

DISPENSER FOR NAPKINS AND THE LIKE Filed June 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwoontoz Patented Apr. 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GLENN A. SHAFFER, OF GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO FORT HOWARD PAPER COMPANY, OF GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

DISPENSER FOR NAPKINS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed June 28,

The invention relates to dispensers for folded paper sheets such as napkins or the like and has as an object the provision of a simple form of dispenser which will permit the taking by the user of only one folded sheet at one time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class referred to having means to prevent access by the user to the edges of a stack of folded paper sheets, such as napkins, whereby several of the sheets could be removed at the same time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dispenser which may be very readily assembled with a stack of folded sheets to be dispensed therefrom, and which is little likely to get out of order and will be cheap to produce and to assemble.

Further objects will appear from the followin description when read in connection with t e accompanying drawings showing an illustrative embodiment of the invention and wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation partly broken away;

Figure 2 is a plan view;

Figure 3 is an end View;

Figure 4 is an edge view partly broken away showing a modified form of the invention- Figure 5 is a side elevation of the form of Fi ure 4;

igure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 4 of a still further modified form.

As shown, the device comprises a base 10, a follower 11, and a resilient member 12.

The base may be made of any suitable material, such as sheet metal, if desired, but it is preferably formed of a solid material to rovide sufficient wei ht to prevent the lifting of the entire devlce when a sheet is removed from the top of the stack. For this purpose it is preferred to form the base of glass or porcelain.

To receive the resilient member 12, a longitudinal groove 13 is shown as formed centrall of the base 10. It is to be understood that the resilient member 12 may occupy various positions and, if desired, a plurality thereof may be provided, in which event corresponding grooves would be formed in the base 10. The resilient member 12 is indicated as an elongated helically coiled spring.

To secure the resilient member 12 to the follower 11, there are shown hooks 14, 15

1926. Serial N0. 119,018.

ing sides 17 18 and the base 10 is shown as having upwardly and inwardly sloping sides upon substantially the same angle as the sides 17, 18. As a consequence, when the device is empty the follower 11 will telescope over the base 10.

To permit access of the user to the sheets, the upper wall of the follower 11 is shown as cut away at 19, to remove most of the material of the top wall leaving end shelves 20,

21 to bear upon the ends of the folded sheets I and the narrow side margins 22, 23 to bear upon the side margins of the sheets. Desirably the inner margins of the ends 20, 21, as at 24, 25 are slightly depressed and rounded as clearly shown in Figure 1 to facilitate the removal of the sheets from the device.

The device is adapted todispense sheet-s so folded'as to present one or more tabs 26, 27 to be grasped by the user to withdraw the top sheet from the stack. By virtue of the sides 17, 18 of the. follower, access cannot be had to the edges of the sheets for removal of more than one sheet at a time and the narrow flanges 22, 23 prevent the sheets from bulging u wardly at their central portions whereby this access could be secured.

The device may be readily filled by removal of the resilient member 12, the inversion of the follower 11 upon a plain surface, the placing of 2. packs e of sheets in inverted position upon the ollower, placin the base 10 upon the top of the inverted padkage, and the engagement of the member 12 with the hooks 14, 15 in turn with stretching of the member to accomplish the engagement. The thus loaded device may be then placed upwardly in a position for use.

Modified forms of the invention capable of use in a vertical position are shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6. As shown in Figures 4 and 5 upright members 28, 29 are provided which are similar to the upper member 11 of the form first described. To support the upright members, feet 30, 31 are secured to the lower ends thereof, recesses 33, 33 being formed in the feet for the reception of hooks 34 with which a resilient member 86 is engaged for the purpose of drawing the upright members into contact with the sheets enclosed therebetween. Should the sheets slide downwardly they will be supported by the resilient member 36.

Hooks, 37, 38 are also provided at the upper ends of members 28, 29 with which a resilient member 39 is engaged. In the use of this form of the invention, a package of napkins may be divided and one-half of the package may be. faced oppositely so as to present tabs 26, 27 at each side of the device whereby napkins may be removed through either member 28, 29.

The form of Figure 6 is in all respects similar to the forms of Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, with the single exception that feet 40, 41 are provided upon one end of the members 10 and 11. In this form of the device, napkins can be removed from only the side thereof engaged by the member 11. The resilient member 12 of this form of the device is entirely similar to the resilient member 12 of Figures 1 to 3 inclusive and operates in the same manner.

The feet 30, 31 and 40, 11 are desirably formed of relatively heavy material to provide stability of the device.

Minor changes may be made in the form of the parts or the number of and placing of the resilient memberswithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of'the invention.

1 claim:

1. A dispenser for paper-sheets comprising a base adapted to support a stack of sheets to be dispensed, a follower comprising an inverted receptacle open at the bottom to rest upon and fit over a stack of sheets to be dispensed, said follower having an 53 opening 1n its upper Wall to permit withdrawal of the sheets therefrom, a resilient member engaging said follower and base acting to draw said follower toward and into contact with said base and forming the sole connection therebetween.

2. A dispenser for paper sheets comprising members to be placed upon opposite sides of a package of sheets, one of said members having an opening to permit withdrawal of sheets therethrough, said member having means overlapping the edges of the sheets to prevent access of the user to the edges of the sheets, means surrounding the open ing to press upon each of the margins of the outer sheet of the package, resilient means connecting opposite margins of said members acting to draw said members together as the sheets are depleted and said members into contact when the sheets are exhausted.

3. A dispenser for paper sheets comprising a weighted member having outwardly flaring edges and adapted to engage one side of a stack of sheets, a follower adapted to engage the opposite side of the stack of sheets and comprising outwardly flaring edges adapted to overlap the edges of the sheets and to fit over the flaring edges of said weighted member when the stack of sheets is depleted, said follower having an opening in its surface adapted to expose a portion of the surface of the outer sheet of the stack for withdrawal therethrough.

1. A dispenser for paper sheets comprising, in combination, a base bearing a flat, sheet-sup mrting surface, having margins sloping outwardly away from said surface and a recess on its side opposite said surface opening through opposite margins, a follower member having an opening for removal of sheets and sloping margins telescoping with said first named margins when the sheets are depleted, attaching members carried by the margins of the follower opposite the recess openings of said first named margins and a resilient member actin in tension, its ends anchored to said attaching members and its body lying in said recess and openings.

' GLENN A. SHAFFER. 

